Remedial Summer Course
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: After buying his school supplies with Hagrid, Harry decides to not return to the Dursleys but spend his time until the beginning of the new school year at Diagon Alley, unware of the far reaching consequences of his little escapade. Completely AU, partly OOC,
1. Chapter 1

**Remedial Summer Course**  
**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

* * *

While Harry slowly left the apothecary behind Hagrid, his eyes fell on a parchment that was attached to the entrance door just a little above eye level.

**_Remedial Summer Course_**

_A course for everyone having problems with Potions during the school year  
__Finished 1st and 2nd year 9:00 a.m. till noon  
__Finished 3rd and 4th year 1:00 p.m. till 4:00 p.m.  
__Fees: 10 Galleons or assisting in the potions lab from 4:00 p.m. till 6 p.m.__  
_

He remained thoughtful, while they headed out of Diagon Alley; however, when Hagrid readied himself to apparate Harry back to the Dursleys, he spoke up quickly.

"Hagrid, please don't take me back yet. There's something I'd like to do here in the city before going home. I'll take the bus later on."

"Alrigh' lad," Hagrid replied, gently, and offered to shrink Harry's luggage with a charm that would be cancelled as soon as Harry touched the small package with his wand.

HP

An instant later, Harry found himself just on his own. _'That's it,'_ he decided. _'I'm not going to return to the Dursleys. Who knows what they'd do to Hedwig.'_ With his shrunken luggage in his jeans pocket and Hedwig's cage in his hand, he returned to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Excuse me sir," he hesitantly addressed Tom, the barkeeper. "I need a room until Hogwarts begins in one month."

Tom led him to a back chamber, where he asked in surprise, "I thought you were staying with your relatives. In fact, the whole magical world is aware of the fact. Are you not going to return home?"

"Sir please don't tell anyone," Harry replied, pleadingly. "My relatives hate me because of being magical, and I'm afraid that my owl wouldn't survive it if I returned there. I'd like to stay here until the beginning of the school year."

"All right Harry," Tom said in understanding. "I have a tiny room on the very top floor, which I could give you for just one galleon for the month."

Harry happily agreed and followed the older wizard upstairs, eyeing the small chamber in amazement. _'This is small?'_ he wondered in disbelief, taking in the comfortable looking bed along with a table, a chair and a bookshelf. Everything was kept in white, and Harry immediately liked the room.

"Thank you so very much," he spoke up, smiling. "This is awesome."

HP

As soon as Tom had left after advising him about the breakfast times, Harry headed to the apothecary in Diagon Alley. He hesitantly entered the shop.

"What can I do for you?" the apothecary addressed him, giving him a sharp look.

Harry pointed to the parchment at the door. "I'd like to sign up for the Remedial Summer Course if that's still possible," he admitted, giving the older wizard a questioning look.

"Very well," the apothecary said and introduced himself as Mr. Rogers. He looked at a list and queried, "First and second year class I suppose?" When Harry replied affirmatively, he wanted to know, "Are you going to pay in Galleons, or do you prefer cleaning cauldrons?"

"Either way is fine with me," Harry answered, uncertainly. _'He looks very strict, but he's not unfriendly,'_ he thought, sighing in relief, when Mr. Rogers made the decision for him.

"Well then I'm going to add you to the list of students, who're going to help in the evening. Save your money," he said, smirking.

"Thank you sir," Harry replied, giving the man a grateful look.

"The course commences at nine o'clock tomorrow morning, and tardiness will not be accepted," Rogers informed him, handing him a parchment. "I need your guardians' signature."

Harry cast the apothecary a devastated look. "Mr. Rogers, my guardians are Muggles, who absolutely detest magic. Please let me attend without the signature. I'm not going to return to them during these holidays anyway."

Rogers gave him a sharp look. "Where are you staying then, boy?"

"I rented a room at the Leaky Cauldron, sir," Harry admitted in a small voice. "But please don't tell anyone, because I really don't want to return to my relatives. I love the magical world. It's awesome. I can get to eat when I want, I can sleep in a real bed in a very nice room, and I'd really like to attend this summer course. Please sir," he added, pleadingly.

Rogers sighed, understanding from the boy's words and his way of speaking that he had to be at least neglected and verbally abused. "Very well then, you may attend even without the signature. Just be very careful. If anything happens, they'll have my head."

"I will," Harry promised, thanking the apothecary profusely.

HP

In the morning, Harry was so excited that he arrived at the apothecary thirty minutes early. Only five other students attended the course, two girls and three boys. The students introduced themselves as Fred and George Weasley from Gryffindor, who had finished their second year, Lee Jordan from Gryffindor and the same year, as well as Katie Bell from Gryffindor and Ben Wilkes from Slytherin, who had both finished their first year. Only now realising his mistake, Harry stated that he had finished his first year and was a Gryffindor, noticing that his two supposed-to-be classmates cast him surprised looks but did not give him out to the instructor.

"During the first two weeks, we're going to brew first-year potions, and during the second half of our course, it'll be second year potions, even if a bit advanced for the younger ones of our midst," Rogers explained. "Today, I'll pretend that none of you has ever taken a Potions class and just give you a review about ingredients. If we then still have time at the end of the class, I'll let you brew some fruit drops," he promised, causing the students to smile in anticipation.

Harry listened with interest and was very grateful when the apothecary explained everything that they had to know about the difference about magical and non magical ingredients and the different ways of preparing ingredients.

_'Thank God he explained that, otherwise I'd be the only one knowing nothing about this,'_ Harry mused, when he gathered his ingredients in order to brew blueberry fruit drops towards the end of the class.

Apparently sensing that he didn't know anyone, the red-headed twins cornered him and invited him to sit between them, and Harry soon found out that they were very funny. Unfortunately, he did not have much chance to speak with them, as he had to concentrate on properly preparing the ingredients and inserting them in the correct order; however, at the end of the class they told him that they were going to come back in the afternoon to assist in the lab or clean cauldrons, and Harry happily informed them that he was going to be there too. _'This was so much fun,'_ Harry mused, eyeing his fruit drops, which had to stay in a form until the next morning, in amazement. _'It's like cooking, although a bit different.'_

_'Okay, now I have four hours before I'll have to be back,'_ he thought, when he left the apothecary, deciding to have lunch at the Leaky Cauldron and then study his first year Potions book.

HP

"Our little brother Ron's going to become a first year, too..."

"... and he said he can't wait to meet you..."

"... but he's too lazy to attend a Potions class during the holidays," the red-haired twins told him in a funny sing song, when they met again later on.

Harry and the twins were the only students, who had decided to return to the apothecary in the afternoon to clean cauldrons or help in the lab. _'That's great, I really like them best, and I'm having much fun with them,'_ Harry thought, feeling very comfortable, as he helped the twins, who seemed to exactly know what to do.

Finally, all cauldrons were cleaned, partly with magic, which the twins unobtrusively taught him, and partly with Muggle means to clean the worst dirt. Mr. Rogers commended them for their work and invited them to prepare ingredients for several potions, which he had to brew during the evening.

Harry thoroughly enjoyed himself, especially since the twins took care of him and patiently showed him how to prepare the ingredients when he needed help, careful to not alert the apothecary to the fact that Harry hadn't even begun his first Hogwarts year.

HP

By the end of the first week, Harry had read through the first and second year Potions books, which helped him immensely to follow Mr. Rogers' explanations about the potions, which he expected them to brew. Harry realised that he really enjoyed brewing potions, which was especially fun, since the twins continued making him sit between them during class. _'It must be like this to have friends,'_ he thought. _'I wonder if they are my friends. It would be so awesome.'_

HP

When the three boys were still helping in the lab on Friday evening, almost two hours after Mr. Rogers had told them that they were dismissed for the day, the apothecary addressed them again, sounding thoughtful.

"Is my assumption correct that the three of you are not here because of any problems you might have had in your Potions classes but, rather the opposite, because you love to brew?" He quirked an eyebrow at Harry and the twins.

"Yes, that's true," Fred and George admitted, simultaneously.

"Yes sir, sorry sir, I love to brew," Harry added, eagerly.

Mr. Rogers smirked. "Very well, then I'd like to suggest something to you. You're doing an awesome job helping here and all three of you seem to be very adept at brewing. Therefore, if you'd like to attend the afternoon classes for the third and fourth year in addition to your own class, you're welcome to do so."

Harry stared at the older wizard with a combination of disbelief and delight. "Oh yes sir, that would be awesome," he blurted out, causing the twins to chuckle.

"If our mother lets us go..."

"... we'd rather brew some more..."

"... than to spend our time degnoming the garden," the twins replied in their usual sing-song, making Harry look at them in amusement.

HP

"Shall we go and buy our third year Potions books?" Harry queried when they passed in front of Flourish & Blotts on the way back to the Leaky Cauldron, from where the twins used to floo home.

"Do you have money?" Fred and George blurted out, simultaneously, staring at him in surprise.

"Yes," Harry replied, chuckling. "Come." He led the twins into the bookshop and bought three copies of the book, which they'd need in order to properly follow the advanced class.

As they continued their walk through the alley, which was fairly crowded on this Friday evening, the twins looked at their new books in amazement.

"New ones," Fred mouthed, glancing at his brother, who nodded, happily.

"Harry..."

"... you know you didn't have to do that..."

"... We're your friends anyway..."

"... without receiving any gift..."

"... But we're still very happy..."

"... to have completely new books for once," the twins told Harry, who returned a truly happy smile.

_'They're my friends,'_ he mused, barely able to believe his luck.

"Thank you so much for being my friends," he replied quietly, adding in a barely audible voice, "the first friends I ever had."

HP

From that time onwards, Harry and his friends spent the whole day at the apothecary, thoroughly enjoying themselves. When Mr. Rogers informed them that the following day would be the last, since Hogwarts was going to commence in two days' time, Harry was almost disappointed.

_'Well, I'm looking forward to going to Hogwarts,'_ he thought. _'This month was a lot of fun though, and I'm going to miss brewing the whole day. But the twins will be at Hogwarts too, and everyone there will be freaks like myself, so it'll probably be great.'_

On the last day, Mr. Rogers allowed the five first and second years to brew a harmless prank potion, which they were allowed to bottle and take with them to use at the school, and once again Harry enjoyed himself greatly.

However, in the afternoon, when Mr. Rogers made the third and fourth years brew an equally harmless but more complicated joke potion, something happened, which Harry would remember forever, whenever he thought of his first time at Hogwarts.

_tbc..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Remedial Summer Course**  
**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

* * *

Severus Snape was sitting in his favourite armchair, enjoying his last quiet day for the next ten months. _Potions Quarterly_ helped him to take his thoughts off the fact that the annoying dunderheads were going to return to his home tomorrow. He inwardly groaned in annoyance, when the fireplace flared and Minerva appeared in the flames.

"Good morning Severus," she said crisply. "As you know, the school year is going to commence the day after tomorrow, and it's time to get used to the routine. Therefore, we'd like you to attend breakfast."

"Yes Minerva," he replied, grumpily, longingly casting a final glance at his favourite magazine, before he left the solitude of his quarters to meet his meddling colleagues in the Great Hall.

Just when breakfast appeared on the table, owls swept into the Great Hall to deliver the post. _'Ah from Rogers,'_ he realised, seeing a familiar raven land on the table in front of his plate. He swiftly took the parchment from the bird and fed it a piece of bacon, before he opened the letter with a combination of interest and annoyance. Every year, the apothecary informed him on the last day of the holidays how his most stupid students had got through the remedial Potions course during the summer holidays. Severus appreciated the fact that the apothecary was holding the course, of which he had to admit that it was quite efficient and usually helped the few dunderheads, who were willing to occupy themselves with their most hated subject during the summer. This year, however, the list of students, who had participated in the course, caught his attention.

_'The Weasley twins?'_ he thought, incredulously. _'Why would they need Remedial Potions? And Harry Dursley? Did the Dursleys adopt their nephew? But Potter's not even a first year, and the class is only intended for students who have at least finished their first year. Plus knowing how Petunia always despised the magical world, I can't believe she allowed the boy to attend that course. This is indeed strange.' _Unconsciously letting out a long sigh that made his colleagues turn their attention to him, he proceeded to read the attached letter.

_'Severus,  
some of your third and fourth years, especially the third year Hufflepuff trio, are complete dunderheads. I don't think they've been able to catch up much, in spite of attending the course on a regular basis.  
However, there are three students, who are extremely adept at Potions and seem to thoroughly enjoy brewing. Fred and George Weasley as well as Harry Dursley have efficiently completed both classes in spite of only having finished their second respectively first Hogwarts year, and all three of them willingly assisted in the lab for several more hours each day. If you ever wish to employ a student assistant, I can highly recommend these three. They will be able to efficiently assist.'_

"What the..." Severus blurted out, staring at the letter.

"Severus?" McGonagall queried, giving her younger colleague a concerned look.

"What's wrong my boy?" the Headmaster joined her questioning.

Severus let out a long sigh, before he proceeded to read the letter to his colleagues.

"Harry?" McGonagall spoke up in disbelief. "I can't imagine that his relatives allowed him to attend a Potions class in spite of not even letting him have his Hogwarts letter."

The thought _'Lily was extremely adept at Potions'_ crossed Severus' mind, but before he could follow the thought string, the Headmaster brought him back to the presence.

"Maybe you should take this occasion to think about hiring a student assistant," Dumbledore threw in, wearing a mischievous smile.

"Headmaster," Severus replied calmly, efficiently hiding his anger at the suggestion. "I have no intention to have the greatest pranksters that Hogwarts has ever seen assist in my lab, neither do I wish to be around a self-centred, pampered brat with the face of my childhood archenemy. If you will excuse me now..." With that he stood and crossed the Great Hall with his robes billowing behind him in a way that showed his colleagues how upset he was.

HP

_'Such nonsense,'_ he thought, shaking his head in annoyance, when he entered the comforting solace of his private rooms. _'Petunia must have changed a lot,'_ he mused, remembering how his best friend's sister had behaved towards Lily and himself after getting to know that they were magical. _'Oh well, raising the king of the magical world surely has done its trick,'_ he thought, grimly_. 'The Weasley twins or Harry Dursley AKA Potter as my assistant. Absolutely ridiculous.' _He retired to his lab to spend the rest of the day with the brewing of some last minute potions.

At three o'clock in the afternoon, his last quiet time was rudely interrupted by a Floo call. _'What is it now?'_ Severus thought, groaning in annoyance, as he placed the potion, which he was just brewing, under a stasis charm and headed to the living room to accept the call. With a combination of surprise and annoyance, he realised that it was Mr. Rogers.

HP

Harry was happily sitting between Fred and George, busying himself brewing the joke potion that Mr. Rogers had assigned. He loved the older students' class. It was even more interesting than the morning class, because they got to brew more complicated potions. On the other hand, they did not proceed as quickly as in the morning class, because some of the older students seemed to be too stupid to follow Mr. Roger's instructions, so that he had to admonish them or clean up the classroom after they had managed to blew up their cauldrons again and again.

Harry had just applied the final stirs to his potion and extinguished the flame under his cauldron to let the potion simmer, when a small shout right behind him caught his attention. He turned around to where the most stupid Hufflepuff third years were 'making their unfruitful attempts at concocting a potion' as Mr. Rogers used to word it. Unfortunately, before he even realised what was happening, the exploding potion from of one of the boys' cauldrons hit him in the face and poured down all over his body.

"Harry..."

"... No!" he heard the twins shout, before his body erupted in pain and the world around him turned black.

HP

"Severus, I apologize for disturbing you," Rogers began to speak in a voice that meant unmistakably trouble.

"What happened?" Severus queried with a feeling of foreboding.

"We had an accident," Rogers explained. "Burnham managed to completely mess up a simple joke potion, which then exploded all over Mr. Dursley."

Inwardly smirking, Severus asked, "And this concerns me exactly why?"

Rogers let out a deep sigh. "Because Dursley was de-aged to a two-year-old, and since he ran away from his Muggle guardians and has no magical guardian or at least neither he nor I know who it might be plus he is supposed to travel to Hogwarts tomorrow anyway, I thought it would be the right thing to call you."

"What's the problem, Rogers? Don't you have the antidote to a deaging potion? As far as I know, the Headmaster is the boy's guardian."

"Believe me my friend, if it was so easy, I wouldn't have bothered you," Rogers replied, sighing.

Severus nodded. Of course he knew that. He and Rogers had been friends since they had studied together for their Potions Mastery. "I'll come over," he promised and quickly informed his colleagues that he would be absent for a while, before he stepped into the fireplace.

HP

Rogers placed a baby into his arms, as soon as he stepped out of the fireplace. It was a little boy. The child gave him a frightened look, before he began to cry, soundlessly.

Severus stared at the baby that was dressed in a green jumpsuit, matching his eyes, in disdain. _'He looks exactly like his father,'_ he thought. _'Disgusting.'_

_'But he's Lily's child as well. He even has her eyes,'_ a small voice spoke up from the back of his mind.

_'It's not as if I didn't know that,'_ he thought back, sarcastically, before Rogers brought him back to reality.

"I still have to assess the consistence of the potion that the dunderhead managed to brew instead of a simple joke potion, which was supposed to make someone sing instead of speak for a day," Rogers explained. "The problem is that I can't even give the boy the normal aging potion, because he's running a fever, and I'm not sure what the concrete effects of the potion are, apart from the de-aging. It would be the best if you took him to Hogwarts and consulted with your Mediwitch. I'm sorry Severus."

Severus nodded. If not for Rogers, one of the few people apart from Albus, Minerva and Poppy, whom he completely trusted, he'd never agree to the plan. "The dunderhead's potion," he requested, holding out his free hand.

"Thanks Severus. I'm really grateful," his friend said in apparent relief and handed him a small phial. "Please keep me informed."

"I will," Severus promised.

"Professor..."

"... will Harry be all right?" the twins, who lived to annoy him, asked in apparent concern, causing Severus to smirk.

"He will," he reassured them, before his view fell on the culprit.

"Burnham," he growled, glaring at the Hufflepuff.

"I'm sorry Professor," the dunderhead squeaked, panicking under his gaze.

"We'll speak about your punishment tomorrow after the Welcoming Feast," Severus said, icily. Noticing contentedly that the boy cringed, he pulled out the chain with his emergency Portkey from under his robes. Firmly pressing the baby's small hand against the pendant in form of a lynx, the Prince family's heirloom, he whispered the activating password, "Lily."

HP

Severus placed the small boy on the bed next to Poppy's office and shouted for the Mediwitch. He sighed in relief when Poppy bustled out of her office right away and quickly informed his friend about what had happened. While Poppy checked on the child, he strode to the fireplace to call the Headmaster and his deputy.

"Harry is two years and three months old. His skin is infected from the potion, which causes his fever, and he's suffering from a bad headache," Poppy informed her colleagues. "Until the infection and the fever is gone, I'm afraid we can't age him up, and even then we can only age him one year each day."

"So it'll take at least a week, before he'll be eleven again?" the Headmaster queried, absentmindedly putting a lemon drop into his mouth.

"Don't you dare giving Harry any lemon drops at this age," Poppy said in a stern voice, eyeing the old wizard in clear disapproval.

"I won't," Dumbledore promised, before he continued in a grave voice. "I'm sorry my boy, but I have to insist that Harry stays with you until he'll be back to eleven."

"With me?" Severus queried, horrified. "Albus, you can't do that. Remember who he is."

"Oh I'm perfectly aware of who he is and I can," Dumbledore replied, smiling at him with his most annoying twinkle in his eyes. "You'll be able to look after him and keep him safe."

Biting back a sharp reply, Severus turned to Poppy. "Will I need to check the dunderhead's potion, or do you believe the effects will go away just with a light fever reducer laced with murtlap?"

"We'll know in a few hours. If his condition has not improved by dinner time, I'll ask you to check the potion," Poppy replied, calmingly, before she spelled the first dose of potion into Harry's system.

"Mr. Dursley, do you feel any better now?" Severus asked the boy, who, to his disbelief, looked at him and smiled.

"Yes sir, much bettew," the two-year-old replied, causing the adults to stare at him in surprise.

_'Maybe he has his memories,'_ Severus thought and readied himself to leave. "I'll go and pay his relatives a visit in order to retrieve his luggage," he announced, already turning away, when a small voice penetrated his ears.

"No pwease don't," Harry said, urgently. "I wan away fwom dem and stayed at de Leaky Cauwdon. I'm Hawwy Pottew not Duwsley."

"Very well," Severus replied in understanding, thinking to himself that it was probably a wise decision to run away from Petunia, the bitch. "Mr. Potter, do you remember what happened?"

"Yes," Harry confirmed, before he closed his eyes in exhaustion and succumbed to the potions.

HP

"You may take Harry with you," Poppy informed him, when he returned from the Leaky Cauldron and entered the hospital wing to check on the child. "The potions kicked in well, and if his condition continues to improve, we can give him the first dose of the aging potion tomorrow morning."

"Very well," Severus said, thoughtfully. "Care to explain what I'm supposed to do with a two-year-old?"

Poppy smirked and cooed at the baby, gently tickling his toes.

Harry laughed happily and raised both hands towards the Potions Master.

"See, he has obviously taken a liking to you," Poppy had the gall to comment, before she warned him, "Don't take him into your lab today. The fumes might aggravate his condition. From tomorrow onwards, he should be all right though."

"Very well," Severus agreed and scooped the child into his arms, carrying the boy into his private quarters, where he instructed Cicero, his personal house-elf, to prepare the guest room for a baby. _'Well, since I can't brew anymore today, I'll just use the time to give the time tables their final touch,'_ he decided. He conjured a playpen for the boy, equipped with a cuddly dragon and a couple of children's books, and placed it next to the desk in his office.

HP

Harry could not really comprehend what had happened. He knew that he had been hit by a potion, which one of the older boys had incorrectly brewed. However, he didn't understand why he all of a sudden was so small and if he'd ever grow to his normal size again. _'I hope they'll let me attend Hogwarts, even if I'm so small,'_ he mused, as he slept on and off, busily cuddling the stuffed dragon. When he was awake, he skimmed through the children's books, before he carefully piled them in one corner of the playpen and busied himself trying to climb out of the playpen in order to retrieve his fifth year Potions book, which he had bought at lunchtime.

"Potter, what do you think you're doing?" the professor suddenly hissed at him, after he had fallen back into the playpen with a loud thud.

"Sowwy sir," Harry replied, wearily holding his achy head. "I wanted to wook fow my fifth yeaw poshun book."

"Fifth year?" the Potions Master asked in apparent disbelief. "Have you already read the first four Potions books?"

"Yes sir," Harry answered, smiling at the older wizard. "I lub poshuns."

He looked up in delight, when the professor handed him a book, which was not the requested fifth year book but one with the title _'Advanced Potions for Everyday use'_.

"This was one of my favourite books when I was your age," the Potions Master explained, smirking when Harry eagerly began to read. "Later on, we'll speak about what you have read, and you may ask if you have any questions," he promised the child.

HP

In the morning, Poppy deemed Harry well enough to receive the first aging potion, and Harry was aged up to three years and three months.

"Well Mr. Potter, let's go and pay the Headmaster a visit to ask him what we're going to do with you when classes begin tomorrow morning," the Potions Master told him.

"Yes sir," Harry replied eagerly, glad that he had grown a bit and didn't have to wear nappies anymore. _'That was so embarrassing,'_ he thought, hesitantly accepting the professor's hand, when they left the hospital wing.

"Hello Severus, Harry," the Headmaster greeted them, offering both of them a lemon drop, which Harry hesitantly declined, following the Potions Master's example.

"Albus," the Slytherin came straight to the point, "seeing that Mr. Potter has his full memories of his older self and is capable of reading and comprehending complex Potions books, he should be well able to attend his first year classes beginning tomorrow."

"Do you believe that it would be wise?" Dumbledore queried, doubtfully.

"Yes please," Harry spoke up, hesitantly. "I can't wait for the classes to begin."

The Headmaster still did not seem convinced and called his deputy, who cast Harry a worried look.

"Harry, as much as I understand that you want to join your classmates as soon as possible, they might make fun of you, seeing that a three-year-old attends classes," she voiced her opinion, causing Harry to inwardly sigh in disappointment.

"Very well then, if Mr. Potter is not allowed to attend classes, I'm going to take him to Potions class with me," Severus said, raising an eyebrow at the small boy, who returned a genuine smile.

"I'd love that too, sir," Harry agreed, cheerily.

"Isn't that too dangerous for a three-year-old?" McGonagall queried, worriedly.

The Headmaster let out a long sigh. "Let's see where Harry will be sorted tonight," he suggested. "However, even if we agree that he may attend classes from tomorrow onwards, which is only possible if one or two of the other first years will be willing to keep an eye on him, outside of class he must remain with Severus."

Harry cast the Potions Master a hesitant look. _'I hope he won't mind having me around for a whole week,'_ he thought. However, to his relief, the Slytherin agreed.

"Harry, you must not ride the Hogwarts Express though," Dumbledore announced in a firm voice. "You'll stay with Professor Snape until tonight and mix with the other first years, when they arrive at Hogwarts."

"Yes sir," Harry replied firmly, knowing better than to contradict. _'I like staying with Professor Snape anyway,'_ he thought, recalling how they had spent two hours discussing several ingredients and their effects on varying potions earlier in the morning.

HP

Harry and his temporary guardian spent most of the day in the potions lab, where the three-year-old happily assisted the professor.

_'The boy is in no way like his father,'_ Severus mused, as he observed the child preparing ingredients. _'And Rogers didn't exaggerate. He's as adept at Potions as Lily was.'_ To his surprise, he didn't feel disturbed by the boy's presence in his lab, although he usually couldn't stand anyone's company. Lily had always been the only exception. _'And now her son,'_ Severus realised, feeling strangely contented at the thought.

HP

Too soon for Harry's liking, they had to finish their work in the lab, which he had thoroughly enjoyed, and had to get ready for the Welcoming Feast. The professor motioned for him to follow him into his room and took one of Harry's school robes, pointing his wand at it.

"I'm going to change these robes for you every day, so that you'll at least be able to attend classes in proper attire," he explained, before he cast the spell, seeing Harry nod his agreement.

"Thank you very much sir, for changing my robes and for everything else too," Harry replied, feeling extremely grateful towards the professor. _'He's really kind and understanding,' _he thought, giving the older wizard a genuine smile.

"What do you think where the Sorting Hat's going to sort you?" the professor asked, when they walked through the dungeons. Although the tall wizard chose a for him extremely slow speed, Harry almost had to run to keep up with him.

"I don't know sir," he replied hesitantly, before he chuckled, adding, "I just hope it won't be Hufflepuff." Seeing that the professor gave him an amused look, he asked, "Is it important sir?"

"Not at all," Snape replied and opened the door to the Great Hall for the child, just when Twinkle, the Headmaster's elf, popped up and informed the teachers that the students had just arrived at the castle.

"Harry, I'm going to greet the first years," McGonagall addressed him in a soft voice. "Would you like to accompany me?"

"Yes please," Harry replied and excitedly followed the old witch to meet his new classmates, hoping that they'd accept him, even if he was eight years younger than everyone else.

_tbc..._

_Thank you so much for your overwhelming reviews! I hope you are not too disappointed with this chapter. More soon._


	3. Chapter 3

**Remedial Summer Course**  
**by Healer Pomfrey**

_All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.  
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes._

* * *

McGonagall greeted the first years and shortly explained about the four Houses, before she quickly introduced Harry and explained about his de-aging - apparently noticing that the students' eyes lingered on the small boy at her side and several "awww"s could be heard, especially coming from the girls.

"I expect you all to show Mr. Potter the respect with which you'd treat him if he was your age," she finished in a stern voice.

"Yes Madame," the first years promised, and the Scottish lioness excused herself for a moment.

Before Harry knew what happened, a girl took him by his left hand and said, "Hello Harry, I'm glad to meet you. I'm Hermione."

"Hello Hermione," Harry replied, wondering, _'Why does everyone want to take me by the hand? My brain is that of an eleven year old, and I can well walk by myself.'_ He did not voice his thought though and had to secretly admit to himself that he somehow liked how kind everyone was to him, something that he had completely missed when he was smaller.

One of the boys stepped over to him and extended his hand. "Hello Harry. My name's Malfoy," he introduced himself, "Draco Malfoy."

"Hello Draco," Harry replied, friendly, and hesitantly shook the older boy's hand, ignoring the giggles coming from the redhead standing on Hermione's other side. _'That could be the twins' brother,'_ he thought, unobtrusively looking at the boy.

Draco turned to the boy and opened his mouth, just when the Deputy Headmistress returned, interrupting all conversations.

When he walked into the Great Hall together with Hermione, Harry noticed that he felt incredibly tired, in spite of the long nap that the Potions Master had made him take earlier in the afternoon. _'I hope this won't last too long,'_ he thought, yawning. To his mind that sometimes switched between his real eleven-year-old brain and his body's smaller one, it seemed to take an infinite time, before he was finally called to meet the Sorting Hat.

When McGonagall placed the Hat on his head, his face was completely covered by the Hat's large brim, and Harry could not see anything.

'A three-year-old? Has the Headmaster gone nuts?' a faint voice suddenly penetrated Harry's mind.

'I'm not three but eleven,' Harry thought, indignantly.

'And what am I supposed to do with you? How can I sort you?' the Hat asked again.

'Anywhere, but not Hufflepuff please,' Harry replied quickly. 'One of the dunderheads there caused me to become so small.'

'Oh I see you have already found your master,' the Hat stated, sighing. "And that's where you belong, Slytherin. But I can't sort you there as long as you're three years old. The older students wouldn't leave you in peace. Better for a baby would be to be in...'

The Hat suddenly quietened, before shouting into the Hall, "Gryffindor."

Harry sighed in relief, when McGonagall took off the Hat and he could see again. _'That was strange,' _he mused. _'I belong into Slytherin, but he sorted me into Gryffindor? Oh well, at least I'm together with Hermione, and the twins are in Gryffindor too, so that's good.'_ He couldn't believe his luck upon seeing an empty seat just between the twins and Hermione and quickly sat down, feeling very happy to see his friends again.

"Hi Harry..."

"... Welcome to Gryffindor..."

"You've grown a bit..."

"... How old are you now?" the twins greeted him in their usual way of speaking.

"I'm three now," Harry whispered back. "I hope I'll be four in the morning."

Harry spent the next few minutes speaking with the twins, Hermione and the other first years, before he became too tired to keep himself awake and without thinking laid his head on the table, drifting off to sleep right away.

Hermione was just on her way to alert her Head of House, when the teachers became aware of what had happened, due to the multiple "Aww"s and "Cute"s, mostly coming from the girls of all Houses, who were staring at the Gryffindor table. McGonagall carefully scooped Harry into her arms and carried him to the Head table, where the Headmaster had conjured a thick mattress. She laid Harry on the mattress on the floor next to Poppy at the end of the Head table, realising that the boy did not even stir but continued to sleep, peacefully.

"Adorable"

"So cute"

"Awww"

The Headmaster rose from his seat, efficiently diverting the attention. "My dear students, welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. I know how adorable little Harry is, but please leave him in peace. We hope that he'll back to his eleven-year-old self in a week's time. Now it's time to begin our banquet. Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

HP

Severus inwardly groaned at the commotion. _'I was mistaken when I expected everyone to make a fuss about Harry because of his fame. They adore him because of his cuteness,' _he thought in annoyance. He quietly observed how the Weasley twins stepped behind Minerva and asked for the permission to become little Harry's baby sitters for the time being.

"Thank you very much, Messrs. Weasley," Minerva replied, sounding grateful. "However, you need to speak with Professor Snape, since he's Harry's temporary guardian for the time being. I'll ask Ms. Granger to take care of him during class."

Severus took a deep breath, readying himself for the conversation with the two seemingly irresponsible pranksters.

"Professor Snape..."

"... please let us babysit Harry..."

"... whenever you need a babysitter, sir," the twins approached him from behind.

Severus turned around, quirking an eyebrow at the duo. "And why exactly would I rely on the two most irresponsible pranksters that Hogwarts has ever seen if I needed someone to babysit a de-aged first year?"

The twins exchanged a glance.

"Because we've become good friends with Harry..."

"... and we promise to take good care of him," they finally replied.

Severus gave them a sharp nod. "Very well then, please accompany me to the dungeons. I need indeed someone to stay with him, while I have to hold a House meeting right after the banquet," he replied, feeling very grateful to the twins for their offer. _'Maybe I could assign them a detention in order to teach them a good joke potion in return_,' he resolved.

For the first time since he had become a professor at Hogwarts, he allowed students to accompany him into his personal quarters, where he placed Harry in his bed and agreed with the twins that they would supervise Harry from the end of the last afternoon class until Harry had to go to bed shortly after dinner.

"In return I shall teach you some interesting potions," the professor promised, causing the twins to cheer in delight.

HP

When Harry's mind returned to awareness, he found himself in his own bed in the Potions Master's guest room. _'How did I get here?'_ he wondered, faintly remembering that he had been attending the welcoming feast at the Gryffindor table. Only when he glanced around, seeing the Potions Master sit on a chair at his bed side, realisation set in. _'He must have carried me all the way to the dungeons.'_

"Good morning sir," he spoke up, tentatively.

"Good morning Harry," Snape replied, letting his magazine sink. "I hope you had a nice sleep," he continued, smirking. "Are you feeling well and up to receiving your next dose of the aging potion?"

"Yes please," Harry said quickly. "I can't wait to become eleven again."

The Potions Master quirked an eyebrow. "And here I thought you were liking the fawning of the complete female student body," he said, smirking. "You should have heard their comments last night in the Great Hall, when you were sleeping on the floor next to the Head table."

Harry could not help blushing. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I just couldn't stay awake."

"That's all right," the professor reassured him. "Apart from the fact that you missed dinner, it was no problem at all." He remained thoughtful for a moment, before he explained, "Even if you have your memories, your body is currently that of a three-year-old. Therefore, you won't be able to do as much magic as your classmates, and you might need several naps during the day, depending on how strenuous your classes have been. Maybe you should skip every second class." Seeing Harry's disappointed expression, he relented, "Well then at least return to your own room or to Gryffindor whenever you're tired. Just inform a teacher."

Harry agreed and hesitantly swallowed the aging potion, unaware of the fact that his guardian cast a spell at his clothing to adjust it to his new size.

"Well, now you're four and a big boy," the professor said, smirking. "Let's go and attend breakfast in the Great Hall."

HP

To Harry's s surprise, the twins offered to escort the Gryffindor first-years to the Transfiguration classroom, and Hermione and Harry gladly agreed. Only Ron Weasley strangely managed to arrive late for the class, and to Harry's amusement, the professor suggested transfiguring him into a watch or a map.

After a short introduction into the subject Transfiguration, McGonagall made them change toothpicks into needles, however, instructed Harry to just watch for the time being.

"You don't want to deplete your magic, Mr. Potter," she told him, causing Harry to inwardly groan in annoyance.

_'Ron seems not as nice as the twins,'_ he mused, while he observed his classmates practise the spell that the professor had just taught them. To his relief, Hermione and Draco were the only students who managed the Transformation. _'That's good, then I don't have to catch up so much,'_ he thought. _'Still it's boring when I'm not allowed to practise.'_

Finally, the class was over, and Harry led his classmates to the Potions Classroom, finding it very amusing that he as a four-year-old had to show his big fellow first-years the way.

HP

Severus shut the door with a bang and strode towards the teacher's table to show the new first-years his annual bat-of-the-dungeons performance and thoroughly scare them all. However, arriving at the front of the classroom, he felt all the wind taken out of his sails upon realising how Harry slipped into the empty seat next to Draco and Hermione sat on Harry's other side. Apparently following their example, the rest of the class chose their seats in an equally mixed way. For an instant, he pondered if he should insist for the Slytherins to sit on one side of the room leaving the other side for the Gryffindors; however, he decided against it. _'The Headmaster always speaks about more friendship between the Houses; maybe with Harry's help, this class will be able to achieve it,'_ he thought, before he proceeded to continue his speech, completely aware of the lack of effect it was going to have on the students for once. _'I'm getting too soft,'_ he realised as he began to explain about the ingredients and their preparation for the potion, which he wanted them to brew during this first Potions class.

HP

Harry was happy. Sitting between Hermione and Draco, who had kindly fetched the ingredients for him from the crowded ingredients cupboard, stating that it might be not a safe place for a four-year-old, he concentrated on brewing his first potion as a Hogwarts student. _'This is easy,'_ he thought, as he eagerly inserted the ingredients with a huge smile playing on his lips.

However, he had just bottled his potion and placed it on the professor's desk, when an explosion from two rows behind him, where Neville Longbottom and Ronald Weasley were sitting, alerted him to the fact that it was not easy for everyone.

"Longbottom, you dunderhead," he heard Snape shout, before the Potions Master dismissed them, banishing all potions from their cauldrons with a flick of his wand.

HP

"Neville, are you all right?" Harry enquired, eyeing the boy in concern, when he took the seat opposite of his classmate at the Gryffindor table.

"Yes, thank you Harry, I'm fine. Apart from the fact that Professor Snape seems to hate me," Neville replied in a small voice.

"Ah, I don't think that he hates you," Harry said, thoughtfully. "Maybe he's a bit impatient if someone messes up with his potion, that's all. If you want, we can sit together in Potions and I'll help you."

"What can a three-year-old help in Potions?" Ron Weasley enquired, glaring at Harry.

However, in the meantime, his older twin brothers had taken the seats on Harry's left side and immediately began to protect him.

"Ron, don't be such an idiot..."

"... You know that Harry took the remedial potions class together with us and is able to brew forth year's potions..."

"... Don't be jealous of everything and everyone."

Ron merely glared at his brothers, before he began to tuck into his meal with gusto.

Harry thoroughly enjoyed his lunch, talking with Hermione and the twins about Hogwarts, Gryffindor and Potions, until all of a sudden, the Potions Master strode behind the Gryffindor table and motioned him to follow him.

"I'm probably going to skip History of Magic," Harry whispered to Hermione before he hurried behind his guardian.

"I believe that you're in dire need of a nap," Snape drawled, as soon as he had closed the door to the Great Hall.

"Yes sir," Harry replied and together with the Potions Master returned to his own room, where he slept through the whole afternoon.

Only when the last afternoon class was over, Snape woke him up and told him that the twins were supposed to babysit him for the rest of the day.

"I don't need a babysitter," Harry replied, indignantly, hesitantly glaring at his guardian.

Snape chuckled. "I know that, but it's safer for you to have some responsible, older students with you at all times out of class. If anyone wanted to harm you, you wouldn't be able to protect yourself, would you?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"No sir," Harry agreed in a small voice. "Sir, may we perhaps use the Potions classroom and brew something together?" he asked, giving the professor a pleading look.

Snape looked at the boy in surprise, before he replied, "Yes you may. However, I wish to be informed about the potion that you're brewing."

"Yes sir," Harry promised, happily, just when an alarm alerted them to the fact that the Weasley twins were standing in front of the Potions Master's office.

HP

"We'd like to brew a prank potion for our younger brother Ronald..."

"... because he insulted Harry at lunchtime," the twins informed the professor upon his question if they would like to brew together with Harry.

"No, let's not prank Ron," Harry replied, giving Snape a help searching look.

The Potions Master fetched a book from the shelf and held it out to the twins. "I do not tolerate pranks played against one single student or just one specific House. Do you understand me? If you have to prank people, then prank the whole student body."

"Or the teachers," Fred added, grinning.

"Thank you so much sir," George added, wearing the same broad grin.

"Can we perhaps brew the potion, which we made on the last day of the summer course?" Harry suddenly threw in. "You know the one that makes people sing. If we begin immediately, we could just finish it on time for dinner..." He slowly trailed off, wondering if he could just ask Snape's house-elf to put the potion into the teachers' dinner.

"Yes, we could take it to the kitchen..."

"... and ask the house elves to put it into the teacher's beverages at dinner," the twins spoke up, apparently nursing the same thoughts as Harry.

Snape smirked. "Very well then, I'm going to excuse myself from dinner tonight," he replied and showed the boys, where they could find that specific recipe.

The three boys managed to finish their potion on time, and the Potions Master kindly handed the phial to his elf for further use, before he ushered the boys to attend dinner.

Grinning and giggling, Harry followed the twins to the Great Hall, where he hesitantly approached the Head table and addressed Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, please excuse Professor Snape from dinner," he told her, "he's busy brewing some potion for the hospital wing."

"All right Harry, thanks for informing me," McGonagall replied gently and asked, "Is everything all right, Harry? Are you faring well in spite of your age?"

"Yes Professor, it's great. I like being here, even if I'm so small," Harry replied, giving the professor a genuine smile, before he returned to the Gryffindor table.

HP

In the morning, Harry was aged up to five years.

"Welcome to the world of the five-year-olds," Snape said, smirking. "Do you need a pain relieving potion?"

"No thank you," Harry replied, thinking, _'I've dealt with much worse pain when I was at the Dursleys.'_ Aloud he said, "I wished I could grow two years in a day."

The Potions Master remained thoughtful for an instant, before he suggested, "Maybe we'll be able to skip the ten-year day and just do two years in one step then, but we'll have to wait and see. Right now we can only do one year in a day. I'm sorry, Harry."

"That's all right, sir," Harry replied, smiling. "Thank you so much sir... for taking me in during this time. I really appreciate it."

"You're very welcome," Snape replied, and Harry had the impression as if a small smile appeared on his guardian's face, which was replaced by the usual blank mask in a blink.

"Professor, will I have to return to the Dursleys during the holidays?" Harry voiced the question that had been poking his mind during the last few minutes. "I mean, not that I'd return there," he added. "I'd just leave and rent a room somewhere again. But if there was a possibility that I could remain at Hogwarts, I'd prefer that of course."

The older wizard gave him a pensive look, before he explained, "You'll be able to remain in Gryffindor during the winter holidays. However, Professor Dumbledore will probably insist that you return to your relatives during the summer." Seeing the five-year-old's face darken considerably, he continued, "The only reason for a student to remain at Hogwarts over the summer would be to be the ward of any of the professors here. This time, the Headmaster made me your guardian; however, that was because of your age, and I don't think he'll easily relent if we asked him if I could remain your guardian, provided that's what you want anyway."

"I'd love that sir," Harry replied, smiling. "It would be brilliant.

"Maybe there's a way," Snape said, thoughtfully. "Since I'm the Potions professor, the sole Potions Master and Head of Slytherin, I have a lot of work to do, and I'm entitled to hire a so-called student assistant, who would assist with the brewing and, depending on his or her age, also assist with the lower years' classes. So far I have refused to employ a student; however..."

"I'd love to become your student assistant," Harry interrupted the man in excitement. "And then I could also assist during the summer holidays, right?"

The professor couldn't help grinning at the boy's excitement. "Indeed," he agreed, nodding. He glanced at his wrist watch. "As much as I'd like to continue this conversation, I'm afraid that we have to attend breakfast.

HP

The Gryffindor and Slytherin first years' first morning class was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Harry once again slipped into the seat next to Draco, before Hermione sat on his other side.

However, as soon as the professor entered the classroom, Harry's head began to hurt badly. He pressed both hands against his head, closing his eyes in agony.

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked immediately, looking at him in concern.

"My head," Harry whispered, "hurts."

"Shall I take you to the hospital wing?" Draco offered.

"I'll do that," Hermione said in determination and rose from her chair, quickly explaining to the teacher that she'd take Harry to the hospital wing.

On the way, Harry noticed how his headache slowly receded. "I think it's all right now," he told his friend. "I don't think I want to go back to that class right now though.

"You won't," Hermione replied in a firm voice and led him to Madam Pomfrey, who kept him for a few hours, before she allowed him to attend lunch and his afternoon classes as long as he wanted.

HP

In the afternoon on the following day, six-year-old Harry sat on the ground, watching his classmates trying to mount the school brooms in order to make their first attempt at flying. Horrified, he observed how Neville had an accident, ending up being taken to the hospital wing by Madam Hooch.

As soon as the teacher had left the grounds, Draco began to play with Neville's Remembrall, making Harry very upset. Even if he had so far got along well with Draco, he could not tolerate the situation. Prying Hermione's broom out of her hands, he rose into the air, causing Draco to laugh and shout, "Catch it, Harry."

_'I will,'_ Harry resolved and caught the ball, right before it threatened to crash into the castle's thick wall. With the ball firmly in his left hand, he descended to the ground, handing Hermione's broom back.

Hermione was just finished scolding him, stating that the school brooms were not made for six-year-olds to ride on them, when Professor McGonagall headed out onto the grounds.

"Mr. Potter, please come with me," she called him over, and Harry slowly made his way over to the professor, afraid what she would do with him.

To his surprise, she merely introduced him to the Gryffindor Quidditch captain, suggesting him as Seeker for the Quidditch team, provided that her colleagues would agree to skip the rule that first-years weren't allowed to play on the House teams.

However, when Harry returned home after dinner, his guardian was very angry. "How dare you disobey Madam Hooch, who instructed the whole class to remain on the ground, and that after Madam Pomfrey had already forbidden you to fly?" he hissed, causing Harry to flinch at the upset tone.

"I'm sorry sir," Harry replied in a small voice.

"Sorry is not enough Harry," Snape said firmly. "Until you're back to your eleven-year-old self, you're going to be grounded.

HP

Harry stared at the professor in shock. "I'm sorry sir," he repeated, unsurely averting his eyes to the floor.

However, Snape remained firm, and during the weekend, Harry was not allowed to go anywhere except for the meals in the Great Hall.

_'At least I can see my friends three times a day, and he doesn't make me clean dirty cauldrons like he did with the students in detention the other day but allows me to brew with him,'_ Harry thought, gratefully, when he went to bed on Saturday evening.

On Sunday, when Harry again assisted in the Potions lab, Snape suddenly spoke up.

"Harry, would you like to play Seeker for Gryffindor?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow.

The eight-year-old let out a long sigh. "On the one hand, I'd love to play Quidditch for a House team, but on the other hand..." He slowly trailed off, thinking about what the Sorting Hat had said to him a few days ago.

"Why but?" the professor asked in surprise.

"At the Sorting, the Hat said that I'd belong into Slytherin and would only be sorted into Gryffindor because of my age. Sir do you believe I could possibly be re-sorted, when I'm back to eleven?" Harry blurted out, giving his guardian a pleading look. "I mean Hermione, Neville and the twins are really nice, but knowing that I'm in the wrong House..."

"I understand," Snape replied, pensively. "We can ask the Headmaster tomorrow. However, I'm not sure if he'll agree, because he's probably very happy having you in his former House. I'll speak with him and Professor McGonagall tomorrow," he promised.

"Thank you sir," Harry said, gratefully.

HP

On Monday morning, Harry was aged up to nine, and the professor promised that he would be able to receive a stronger potion the next morning, which would return him to his eleven-year-old self.

_'Tomorrow I'm going to be eleven again, and maybe I can be re-sorted,'_ Harry thought in excitement, when he walked to his first morning class. However, the day went downhill from his first class onwards.

Draco, who was usually sitting on Harry's right side, while Hermione sat on his left, was late for their Charms class, and Ronald Weasley slipped into the empty seat next to Harry. Seeing that his classmate was unable to correctly do the spell that they were told to practise, Harry tried to help the other boy, who then once again insulted him badly, apparently not liking the fact that a nine-year-old tried to correct him.

The next class was Defence Against the Dark Arts, and like during the last class, Harry's head began to hurt again, as soon as the professor entered the classroom. Not wanting to attract attention, Harry did not say anything and somehow endured the pain throughout the class. _'It must have something to do with Professor Quirrell,'_ he thought, resolving to speak with his guardian about the matter as soon as possible.

HP

When Harry returned to the dungeons after the last afternoon class, he told the professor about his headaches that occurred in the presence of Professor Quirrell. However, the Potions Master did not comment on the matter and remained thoughtful and quiet, while he engrossed himself in his brewing. Sometimes, Harry and the professor talked about various matters, while they were brewing; however, at other times, they quietly worked together.

After dinner, however, when Harry made himself comfortable on the sofa in the living room in order to work on his homework, his guardian finally spoke up.

"Harry," he began in a soft voice. "There's something I'd like to suggest to you. Reflecting your current situation, I've decided to ask you if you want to become my apprentice." Seeing that Harry gave him a questioning look, he explained, "Becoming my apprentice would mean that you'd specialize on Potions from your first year onwards and at the same time would be able to skip some of the other, usual classes like, for example, History of Magic etc. It would also mean that you'd automatically become my ward. Therefore, I could personally teach you in Defence Against the Dark Arts, so that you didn't have to attend Professor Quirrell's class. A further point is that as my ward you were entitled to remain at Hogwarts at any time, even during the summer. "

"Oh, that would be awesome," Harry excitedly interrupted the professor.

However, Snape held up his hand to stop the boy and continued, "There are also several disadvantages though. You'd make an important decision about your field of specialisation at the early age of eleven. You wouldn't be able to choose a guardian of your liking, and you would not belong to one specific Hogwarts House, which means that you wouldn't be able to play Quidditch on a House team." He gave the boy a sharp look, before he continued, "Harry, I don't expect a reply to this suggestion tonight. I want you to think about the matter, possibly speak with some of the other adults to hear their advice and to inform me about your decision whenever you're ready to make it."

"Sir," Harry replied immediately. "Thank you so much for your offer. I don't have to think about it. I'd like to become your apprentice if that's really okay for you."

Snape smirked. "If it wasn't, I wouldn't have suggested it. Nevertheless, I'd like you to sleep over it, before you decide. Is there anyone, with whom you'd wish to speak about the matter?"

"Not really," Harry replied, thoughtfully. "Or maybe Hermione and the twins if that's possible."

"Of course," the professor reassured him and called his house-elf. "Cicero, please ask Ms. Granger and the Weasley twins to come to my office right away."

HP

When Harry woke up in the morning, his long conversation with his three friends was still at the front of his mind. _'They said it was the best that could happened to me and that they'd still be my friends. I'm sure that I want it,'_ he mused, as he absentmindedly gulped down the potion that aged him up to eleven years.

Handing back the empty goblet, he informed the professor, "Sir, I'd love to become your apprentice."

"Very well, I'll inform the Headmaster accordingly," the Potions Master replied, and Harry noticed that a small smile played on his lips.

HP

"Minerva, Albus," Severus greeted his colleagues, before he came straight to the point. "Albus, the other day, you told me that I'd be able to request a student assistant."

"Yes my boy," the Headmaster replied, smiling.

Severus nodded in understanding and continued, "I have decided instead of hiring a student assistant to make Mr. Potter my apprentice."

"Did Harry agree to this?" McGonagall asked crisply, giving him a sharp look.

"Yes Minerva, he agreed, mainly for three reasons. First of all because he loves Potions and it very adept, and secondly because he will automatically become my ward and won't have to return to his abusive relatives. The third point is," he glanced at the Sorting Hat, "that Sopho apparently told him he'd put him into Gryffindor, because the lions were nice enough to look after a three-year-old; otherwise he'd put him into Slytherin. It's understandable that the boy doesn't feel overly comforted in Gryffindor under this condition."

Severus noticed immediately that the Headmaster did not like it, although he grudgingly agreed. "Harry needs the blood protection that only his aunt can provide. He shouldn't give it up just to become a Potions apprentice," Dumbledore said, shaking his head in annoyance. "Also it would be better for Harry to receive a normal Hogwarts education in all subjects in order for him to be able to defeat Voldemort in the future."

"I'll see to the boy's education," Severus promised in a firm voice.

Minerva cast the old wizard a menacing glare. "Albus, it's not Severus' fault that Harry has taken such a liking to brewing potions but yours."

The Potions Master smirked. "Exactly Minerva. I'm truly sorry, Albus, but had you not placed him with his atrocious relatives, he'd never had stayed at Diagon Alley attending a remedial Potions course during the summer holidays," he then stated, quirking an eyebrow at a very pensive Headmaster.

"And I wouldn't have had to sort a three-year-old know-it-all," the Sorting Hat threw in, accusingly, haughtily fluffing his brim, as the Headmaster sighed in defeat.

**The End**

_Thank you so much for your kind comments for the first two chapters. I hope you enjoyed this little story._


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